President Obama Personally Convinced Richard Carmona To Run For The U.S. Senate
With first lady Michelle Obama expected to visit Tucson today, where she will raise money for President Obama’s nonstop re-election campaign, Arizonans deserve to know when liberal Democrat Richard Carmona will appear with the President.
Politico recently noted that President Obama played an instrumental role in convincing Carmona to become a card carrying Democrat so he could run for Arizona’s open Senate seat.
Yet since he has entered the race, Carmona has refused to campaign with the President.
“With the First Lady appearing in the Grand Canyon State, Arizonans deserve to know when liberal Democrat Richard Carmona will campaign alongside his recruiter President Obama,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox. “Given that Mr. Carmona is an ardent supporter of the President’s job-killing healthcare law, we look forward to them campaigning side-by-side and sharing their liberal views with Arizonans this fall.”
BACKGROUND …
- “On September 23, President Obama called Richard Carmona to encourage him to run,” said one Democratic strategist. (Alexander Burns, Obama courts Ariz. Senate candidate, may contest state ‘heavily’, Politico, 10/06/11)
- Carmona is one of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s favorite candidates and was personally courted by President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to get into the race. (David Catanese, Bivens clears the way for Carmona, Politico, 3/27/2012)
- Obama personally called Carmona and asked him to run, and Carmona told The Hill in February that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (Wash.) were also among those who reached out to court him. (Josh Lederman, Democrat Bivens drops out of Arizona Senate primary, clearing way for Carmona, The Hill, 3/27/2010)
President Obama’s Current Job Approval In Arizona: 39% Approve (TPM PollTracker, TPM, 4/30/2012)
